Ilhan Omar’s Republican contender Dalia al-Aqidi refuses to appear on Al Jazeera

Dalia al-Aqidi, who is challenging US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for her congressional seat, tweeted on Friday a screenshot of a message she sent refusing to appear on Al Jazeera, a media outlet she says “supports terrorists.”

A show producer from the network’s Washington DC bureau contacted the congressional candidate for a television interview.

“Sorry I don’t have any intention to appear on Al Jazeera,” replied al-Aqidi. “I won’t go on a TV that supports Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Al-Aqidi told Al Arabiya English her decision to forgo appearances on Al Jazeera is because she is a “person of principle” and that it is important for her, as a congressional candidate, to let people know what she believes.

“I’m a very honest person. People should know about where I stand and what different positions I have about different issues, including the Muslim Brotherhood…I would not go on this channel, ever, the same channel that…praises Hamas and praises the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorists,” the Iraqi-American contender said. “I cannot be on this screen.”

Her decision is nothing personal against the people who work for Al Jazeera, al-Aqidi said.

“I stand behind my principle and I fight oppression. I fight against terrorism,” she added.

Designating Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group

The first thing al-Aqidi said she would do if she wins the 2020 congressional race against Minnesota Congresswoman Omar is to advocate that the Muslim Brotherhood be designated as a terrorist group by the US government.

“Just like it's designated as a terrorist group in Egypt, the place where it was formed, just like it was designated in the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia…this should happen in the United States for the sake of our national security.”

The Iraqi-American Republican will face Omar for her Minnesota congressional seat in the upcoming elections in November.